The script was even written by William Monahan, the man behind the brutal, but brilliant, The Departed, and was adapted from a David Ignatius novel.

• Click here to read the latest Chad Film Blog

But despite all its first class ingredients, Body of Lies is ultimately a very disappointing film.

CIA super spook Roger Ferris (DiCaprio) pouts earnestly through unconvincing facial hair as he battles inner conflict and terrorists on the teeming streets of Jordan, Iran and Syria.

While Ferris is busy judo chopping the baddies and being flung through car windscreens on his mission to track down an elusive terrorist sect leader, his sinister handler Ed Hoffman (Crowe) barks orders from the comfort of his Washington office.

Thanks to a hi-tech spy satellite, Hoffman is able to keep up with the action and rather than helping out our hero, he feeds him a pack of lies and sends him on illegal missions.

Crowe's character feels very one dimensional and at times comes over as a bit of a pantomime villain and the movie as a whole feels a bit like it was put together just to tick boxes.

Indeed, love interest Golshifteh Farahani –– a shy Iranian nurse who patches up DiCaprio's numerous injuries –– seems nothing more than a plot device used to urge on our protagonist after she is kidnapped.

There are some nice set pieces and Body of Lies has the sort of production values you would expect from a Hollywood blockbuster and it is not a terrible way to spend 128 minutes of your life.

If you are in the mood for switching your brain off and letting a pounding soundtrack, high-tech wizardry and flashy camerawork wash over you then this could be a winner.

If you are looking for an intelligent, well scripted thriller based round a well thought out plot, Body of Lies is probably best avoided.

Have you seen the film? What did you think? Let us know below